Los Angeles: Suspect Convicted of Animal Cruelty

Los Angeles: On January 4, 2013, 25-year-old Kevin Hor, a resident of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to Animal Cruelty with a weapons allegation, making the charge a strike under California’s “Three Strikes” policy. Hor may serve a maximum of 2 years 4 months in state prison.

On October 1, 2012, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Hollenbeck Division officers responded to an animal cruelty investigation at a residence in the 1600 block of Ricardo Street. The officers’ investigation led to Hor’s arrest for animal cruelty. A 2-month-old Pit Bull named Picasso was taken for emergency medical treatment but had to be euthanized due to its injuries.

The LAPD Animal Cruelty Task Force (A.C.T.F.) assumed investigative responsibility of the case. The investigation revealed that witnesses previously observed Kevin Hor abusing Picasso on numerous occasions. On one occasion, witnesses told police that Hor placed a cardboard box over Picasso’s head and stepped on it. When Picasso was cornered into a fence, Hor struck the dog with a pipe, kicked and punched the dog in the face repeatedly. On another incident, Hor was caught on video punching and stomping on Picasso. He used an unknown object to strike Picasso causing the puppy to let out a loud yelping cry.

Picasso suffered two broken ribs and a broken left shin-bone. In addition, the puppy had an obvious problem with his hind legs. He was unable to properly bear weight on his hind legs and could not move his legs normally. A Department of Animal Services veterinarian concluded the most likely cause of Picasso’s injuries was trauma to his spinal cord, resulting in a motor neuron problem in the hind legs.

The ACTF was established in 2005 and consists of personnel from the LAPD and the City’s Department of Animal Services. This partnership facilitates a comprehensive approach to the prevention, intervention, detection and prosecution of acts of animal cruelty. The success of ACTF is achieved through the investigative expertise of the task force members, the use of veterinary forensics, and the prosecution efforts of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.